Learn: 5 Tips for Forest and Woodland Photography

Forest photography—or woodland photography—is a subgenre sitting between nature photography and landscape photography. Popular among photographers who enjoy hiking through woods and forests, this type of photography is all about reflecting the unique atmosphere provided by green natural environments. 

In this article, photographer Vivienne Arnold, who uses the APS-C mirrorless Fujifilm X-H2Sand Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 LM OIS WR telephoto lens, explains how to improve your tree, forest and woodland photography. To find out more about recommendations, equipment and settings, let’s hear from Vivienne Arnold. Read on.

As a nature photographer, I spend most of my time outdoors with my camera. I'm not only looking for motifs of wild animals but also enjoy just casually walking through the forest and letting different impressions take effect on me. 

Over the last few weeks, with my Fujifilm X-H2S, I’ve had the opportunity to test the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 LM OIS WR telephoto zoom. It’s an incredibly versatile and professional lens.

But there is more to forest photography than just photographing trees. You have to pay attention to a number of different things. For example, I always ask myself how I can create a dreamy or mystical mood in my pictures. In this article, I’d like to share my experiences and my approach.

Equipment 

For walks in the forest, I try to pack only the most necessary photographic equipment. I like to use a telephoto zoom because longer focal lengths help me to isolate objects from the rest of the forest and bring order to the clutter. The Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 LM OIS WR, for example, is a good all-rounder for forest photography. It has a fixed aperture of f/2.8 over the entire zoom range. And, since the lens has splash protection against water and dust, I am able to continue to take photos even when it starts to rain—often, this provides the most interesting motifs—although it’s always recommended to avoid getting water on any of your camera equipment. 

The lens is made of sturdy metal. The focus and zoom rings run smoothly and the whole feel of the lens on my camera made me feel very confident in handling it. Overall, it has a very high-quality feel to it. And, at just over 1kg [35oz], the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 LM OIS WR is also pretty light. The Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) also helps to reduce blur when shooting handheld. The autofocus is fast, quiet and reliable—although the minimum focusing distance was about 1m [3ft].

This Fujifilm setup provides strong detail, pleasant bokeh and high resolution—even at the edges. As I have come to expect from Fujifilm, colours are perfectly reproduced. It is a great all-rounder for me when I want to be flexible in my image composition and choice of subject.

Other equipment that can help you to emphasise the effect of your image are a polarising filter and a tripod. Polarising filters are often used to bring out colours and contrasts and to reduce reflections created by water. While photo tripods tripod will also help you to take blur-free pictures, especially if you use a longer exposure time.

Settings 

As with any kind of photography, you should balance ISO, aperture and shutter speed—depending on the image effect you want to achieve with your photos. 

For almost noise-free pictures, the ISO value should be set as high as necessary but as low as possible. But some cameras, like the Fujifilm X-H2S, allow you to use a higher ISO without too much noise being introduced into your images. 

Try changing your shutter speed. In the forest, it can get quite dark—even at midday—so it’s worth using longer shutter speeds. But remember to use a tripod so that those longer exposure times do not lead to blurred photos.

Different aperture values will affect your image in different ways. A large aperture, for example, is great for capturing close-up shots of leaves—the subject is in focus and the background becomes pleasingly out-of-focus bokeh. For a larger depth of field, where the majority of your frame is in focus, you’ll want to set your aperture to f/8–f/11.

Using light 

Anyone who has ever photographed in the forest will realise that you have to deal with extremely different—and sometimes extreme—lighting conditions. Because of the high dynamic range, which the camera cannot fully capture like our human eye, I like to exclude the sky from the frame. This means I can expose specifically for my foreground without having a burnt-out sky in the background. The longer the focal length, the closer you can get to the scene in the picture.

Fog and rain are excellent for creating a sense of atmosphere in your forest photography. Full sun, on the other hand, can be a little more challenging to control—but the strong light can create impressive shadows.

Finding a motif

Like the classic idiom ‘you can’t see the woods for the trees’, it isn’t easy to find motifs in forest photography. I always look to see if I can find an interesting composition. Try working with lighting conditions or changing perspectives—backlit shots, high-contrast pictures lit from the side, interesting picture effects. You could revisit interesting places throughout different seasons and times of the year.

A good start is shooting forest paths, which can help bring a little order into the disorder of the forest. You can use them as a leading line to direct the viewer's gaze. Any particularly interesting trees, or rows of trees, can also serve as points of interest to catch the viewer's eye. Ask yourself what attracted your attention to the scene. Why do you find this tree, patch of grass or mushroom so interesting? Then, you can try to capture that in the photo. 

In my last photoshoot, for example, I tried using reflections, forest paths, nature details, animals and outdoor portraits. It isn’t always easy to bring order into the chaos of choosing a motif. The longer you work on it, the more motifs you will find and the better at it you’ll become.

Conclusion

Photography is so much more than just taking a picture. For me, forest photography is mainly about relaxing and focusing. Atmospheric pictures don't just happen at the push of a button. External influences—like weather, location and equipment—are crucial, as are your own intentions when creating the image.

For me, there are four important points to remember when capturing a beautiful scene. First, a telephoto zoom lens helps to isolate objects from the rest of the forest and to bring order into disorder. Second, look for a point of interest that makes a seemingly-chaotic image look calm. Third, use light to create an atmosphere. Finally, even if I don't take any good pictures, just enjoy your time outdoors.

Thanks, Vivienne. Check out more of Vivienne Arnold’s work on Instagram @natureandstories. Or, read more guides on the MPB content hub.